AUSTRALIA | The four-month delay to the new Aged Care Act has been viewed as a necessary approach to ensure every change is managed properly.
The announcement of a four-month delay to the commencement of the new Aged Care Act, including the Support at Home program, has been considered important to ensure older people have time to understand what the upcoming changes mean for them, COTA Australia said.
COTA Australia Chief Executive Officer, Patricia Sparrow, said the organisation had been listening to older people about their experiences to date and their concerns about the lack of individualised information from aged care providers and the Government.
Recently, COTA and OPAN wrote to the Government to advise that it’s become clear that a time-limited delay to the Act, which was due to come into effect on 1 July 2025, was necessary to avoid confusion and make sure older people and their families are informed about how the new system will work.
“We welcome the Federal Government’s response to our call for a new commencement date for the Aged Care Act. The move to a 1 November 2025 commencement date acknowledges that more time is needed to inform older people about the changes, to support its successful implementation and build confidence in the system,” Sparrow said.
“The new Aged Care Act is an important step towards a better future for current and future generations of older Australians, one that puts their rights and dignity at the centre of the care system. We wanted a 1 July start date so people didn’t have to wait any longer for their rights than they already have, but ultimately, we concluded it’s far more important to get it right and ensure that older people understand what will happen for them.”
Sparrow said that the Federal Government and aged care providers must use this additional time to ensure the system is set up for a smooth implementation on 1 November. This needs to include Services Australia starting the process of providing older Australians with the critical financial information they need as soon as possible.
“COTA Australia is calling on the government to continue to release extra packages of support for people living at home and reduce the home care package wait list even with the delayed start for the new Support at Home program,” she added.
“We don’t want to see older Australians continuing to experience long wait times for the support they need to remain independent at home. No one should be waiting for longer than 30 days for these critical supports.”
Sparrow said this delay provides an opportunity to work with older Australians and their supporters to explain what the changes will mean for them. This time must be used wisely to iron out any remaining implementation issues and prioritise supporting older people.
“The system must be ready to go from 1 November.”
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